Speaker Spotlight: Q&A with Aidan McGivern, Meteorologist and Weather Presenter at the Met Office

May 24

As we gear up for SocialDay Forum 2023, we're excited to shine a spotlight on one of our exciting speakers: Aidan McGivern, a meteorologist and weather presenter at the Met Office. With a career spanning 16 years, Aidan's expertise in weather forecasting and presenting extends across television, the Met Office app, the website, and social media channels.

For the SocialDay Forum, Aidan brings his unique perspective on the intersection of meteorology, media and social media in a keynote titled "Taking social media by storm".

This insightful session will delve into how the Met Office is leveraging the power of video on social media platforms, ranging from short 20-second forecasts on TikTok to comprehensive 20-minute forecasts on YouTube.

Expect to gain invaluable insights on:

How to effectively use video content on social media to garner followers, drive engagement, and elevate revenue.
Tips for customizing your video content to cater to diverse topics, channels, and audiences.
The art of storytelling in 20 seconds as well as in 20 minutes.

Aidan's expertise in making the most of social media's capabilities isn't limited to his work at the Met Office. He's also recognized for his keen interest in the "TikTokification" of media, referring to the surge in popularity of short-form videos across all platforms. A testament to this is the Met Office's remarkable success on TikTok where they've innovated a fresh approach to weather forecasts, amassing millions of views within a few years.

@metoffice Who’s ready for some warmer weather? #metoffice #edutok #learnontiktok ♬ original sound - Met Office

In terms of future challenges, Aidan is keeping a close eye on the development of Artificial Intelligence, foreseeing potential major implications for social media, search engines, websites, and online marketing.

When asked about his favourite social media campaign in the last year, Aidan highlighted the work of Surreal (cereals), praising their fun, bold, and creative approach. Looking to the future, he hopes to see more positivity on social media and less arguing in the comments.

Stay connected with Aidan McGivern on Twitter @aidanweather and access all Met Office content here.